Childhood sexual abuse and antiretroviral therapy adherence among older adults living with HIV: a mixed methods study

Findings on the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence have been varied, with some studies showing a relationship, or a lack thereof. However, to our knowledge, no study has examined this association among older adults living with HIV (OALH). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between CSA and ART adherence among OALH using a mixed methods approach. This study, which involved a concurrent design, had two phases. The first phase comprised in-depth, semi-structured interviews of 24 adults aged 50 and older living with HIV in South Carolina. The second phase included data from 91 OALH. Thematic analysis and multivariable regression models, adjusting for age, gender, race, and income, were used to determine the association between CSA and ART adherence. The main theme emerging from the qualitative data was that CSA was not linked with ART adherence. However, contrastingly, quantitative analyses revealed a negative statistically significant association between CSA and ART adherence (adjusted & beta;: -3.35; 95% CI: -5.37, -1.34). This difference in findings could be due to the hidden impact of trauma and/or the use of different study populations. Future research should assess mediating pathways between CSA and ART adherence.